1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an absorbent body containing absorbent fiber, and absorbent articles equipped with the absorbent body.
2. Related Art
Absorbent bodies containing absorbent fiber such as cellulose fiber have been used in wide variety of fields including sanitary materials such as diapers and sanitary napkins, cleaning products and medical supplies. Absorbent bodies are used in various different fields as described above, and it is necessary for the absorbent body to be produced so as to have characteristics and structures suitable for use in each product application.
In addition, in recent years, multilayer absorbent bodies in which nonwoven fabrics are layered in the absorbent body may be formed into shapes suitable for use in each product application in order to fulfill the intended function.
For example, oblong diapers in which embossed groove portions are formed in a backward and forward direction of the absorbent body for dispersing discharged urine, etc., are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application publication No. 2005-73921.
The absorbent body made of pulp and high water-absorption resins in which a through hole or a non-through depressed area is formed by inserting a needle-like or conical projection is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3556581.
Density of the embossed groove portions formed in the absorbent body as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application publication No. 2005-73921 may increase, thereby increasing the rigidity of the absorbent body. When diapers equipped with this kind of absorbent body come into contact with the body, voids may be left between the diapers and the body because diapers do not fit the body. This increases possibility of leakage of excretory substances giving users a foreign body sensation.
Fiber in areas other than the openings of the absorbent body disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3556581 are oriented approximately in the same direction because uniformly layered absorbent body are only equipped with openings formed by secondary processing with needle-like projection, etc. When the fibers in the areas other than the openings are oriented approximately in the same direction as described above, menstrual blood migrated from surface sheets is absorbed almost concentrically along the oriented direction of the hydrophilic fibers while avoiding the openings in the areas other than the openings. This allows menstrual blood to reach both sides of the absorbent body easily causing side leakage if the absorbent body has an oblong shape conforming to the shape of the body.